DNR Outdoor Report for May 11

With sun and temperatures getting into the low 80s even in northern Wisconsin snow is now finally gone from the entire state. Ice went out on many lakes last weekend and went out this week on Trout Lake in Vilas County. Loons returned to the lakes as soon as the ice went out and could be heard calling once again.

Recent rain helped green up the landscape and reduce very high fire danger. However, fire danger can change quickly so take care to prevent wildfires. Get a burning permit, know and follow the rule of the day by checking the fire danger levels. This past week 88 fires burned 156 acres in DNR Protection Areas, destroying 12 buildings. Another 30 were saved with firefighter assistance. May 14 marks the fifth anniversary of the Germann Road Fire that burned 7,442 acres and 100 buildings, including 22 homes and cabins, in Douglas County

High temperatures and full sun allowed many anglers to enjoy the fishing opener and arrive home with a suntan or sunburn. Many anglers were out on the Menominee, Peshtigo and Oconto rivers with mixed success. Anglers were out on Green Bay with some launches almost full during opener on Saturday. Most boats were catching three to five walleyes but some were harvesting limits. Anglers fishing the Fox River for white bass found themselves putting fewer than a dozen fish in the bucket.

All ramps are now ice free across Door County. Action is picking up in the Sturgeon Bay area with walleye anglers getting some action from shore and out in the bay. Brown trout action has been decent between Sturgeon Bay and Egg Harbor.

Anglers fishing Lake Michigan off Kewaunee and Algoma reported success for brown and lake trout. Anglers targeting brown trout and coho salmon out of Milwaukee found some success. The Menomonee River continues to have fishing pressure but very few steelhead were being seen or caught.

This year’s sturgeon spawning run on the Winnebago System is over and went fast. The warm temperatures last week condensed the spawning activity. The fish were spawning in large numbers at all of the traditional spawning sites but it lasted only about a week.

Turkeys are nesting and turkey hunters are reporting good success but many birds are responding to strutting tom decoys rather than calling. Multiple goose broods and ducklings are being seen and a sandhill crane colt was reported this week. Deer fawns are starting to be reported. Again a reminder that if you see a fawn alone, please leave it where it is as the survival strategy for deer is to leave the nearly scent free fawns “hidden” while the doe feeds somewhere nearby but the mother will return to retrieve the fawn after feeding.

Boreal chorus frogs, leopard frogs, wood frogs and spring peepers have been deafeningly loud on some of the warm evenings. Bees, mosquitos, ticks and other insects awakened with the warming temperatures.

Large numbers of white-throated and other sparrows arrived this week and the warbler migration is at or very close to peak with birders reporting outstanding diversity and numbers. Bird hikes and birding events are being held at many locations this weekend and in coming weeks.

Marsh marigolds, Dutchman’s breeches, hepaticas, bellwort, spring beauties, trout lily, trilliums and blood root are blooming, or starting to bloom in the south but flowers are just starting to emerge in the north. Wild leeks – or ramps – and fern fronds are up. And morel mushrooms are being reported in southern Wisconsin with the warmer temps and rain.